Calhoun cleared to play at UAB: ‘Go hard every day’ is goal

By Gary Lloyd
BIRMINGHAM — Former Hewitt-Trussville High School standout guard Jarvis Calhoun is cleared to play at UAB, he said last week.

“They cleared me to play at UAB last Tuesday and I’m cleared to do everything,” Calhoun said.

Calhoun’s senior season at Hewitt-Trussville ended Jan. 13 after collapsing at practice. He hit his chin on the court when he fell, fracturing a bone inside his ear. Calhoun spent several days in the hospital while doctors worked to figure out the exact cause.

They couldn’t find an issue,” Calhoun said. “The doctor told me that I had a strong, healthy heart and that they know for a fact I didn’t have a heart disease.”

Calhoun started workouts at UAB last Monday. He’s already taking summer classes. Calhoun wasn’t doing a whole lot before he was cleared, just getting some jump shots up every now and then.

“It means a whole lot to me to be back out there on the floor, especially with the guys at UAB,” Calhoun said. “They are family.”

When his career ended Jan. 13, Calhoun had 2,054 career points at Hewitt-Trussville, just 51 points behind Tim Francis’ school record. He averaged almost 26 points per game as a junior in 2012-2013 and 19 points in his 21 games as a senior last season. As a senior, he was an Alabama Sports Writers Association Class 6A All-State first-team selection.

The UAB men’s basketball team will travel to Spain on Aug. 16-23 to play exhibition games in preparation for the 2014-2015 season. UAB will be tested early this season when it plays in the Battle 4 Atlantis tournament Nov. 26-28 in Nassau, Bahamas. The eight-team field will include UAB, North Carolina, Georgetown, UCLA, Florida, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Butler.

Calhoun will wear jersey No. 5 for the Blazers.

“My goals for freshman year is just go hard every day in anything I do, either on and off the court, and just play the role Coach (Jerod) Haase and the staff want me to play,” Calhoun said.